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Author Topic: Brushes losing their point  (Read 887 times)

Online Ockman

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Brushes losing their point
« on: November 29, 2018, 09:13:21 PM »
Halp!

I've been getting better at painting since i ditched my mini brushes (3/0, 6/0, 10/0) for small (but still not mini) brushes (0, 1) and the larger brushes are great - as long as the tip still has a point.

My problem is: how do I keep the tip pointy?

I've bought Raphael's brush soap, but still I lose the sharpness or point fast. How do you do? Get better brushes (I use synthetics)?

Offline Sir_Theo

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Re: Brushes losing their point
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2018, 09:17:28 PM »
Better brushes definitely helps. It's worth spending a bit more, your painting will improve and the brushes will last longer (as long as you look after them)

Offline Cubs

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Re: Brushes losing their point
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2018, 10:19:34 PM »
Yeah, my sable brushes stay prettier for longer, so I keep the synthetics for dry-brushing and other smudgy stuff.

I use the brush soap if I've been naughty and managed to get paint clogged near the ferule, but this is rare because I try to only keep paint on the tip and have two jars of water - one with soapy water (first wash) and one with clean water (rinse wash) - which keeps the brush pretty clean. Mostly to keep the point I just use the wee tubes they come with (I'll never buy any brush smaller than a 2 if it's lost its tube) and, against a lot of advice online, I am a veteran brush-licker to get the point on it before it goes away into the tube.

Sometimes a rogue hair will appear despite my best efforts and will crazily jut out the side like the brush has continual bed-head. The only cure for this, if feverish brush-licking has no effect, is to tease it away from the other hairs with a sharp knife and nip it off right by the ferule. 
'Sir John ejaculated explosively, sitting up in his chair.' ... 'The Black Gang'.

Paul Cubbin Miniature Painter

Offline grant

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Re: Brushes losing their point
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2018, 12:52:30 AM »
Winsor & Newton are worth buying. I can use my 1 and 0 for all but the finest work. I use Vallejo brush restorer after every few painting batches, all the paint is gone from any potential buildup.

Good brushes will last years.
It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words - Orwell, 1984

Offline Codsticker

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Re: Brushes losing their point
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2018, 03:04:39 AM »
... and, against a lot of advice online, I am a veteran brush-licker to get the point on it before it goes away into the tube.
Yeah, what's the problem with brush licking anyway (it's actually more like sucking, but...)?

Offline FifteensAway

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Re: Brushes losing their point
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2018, 05:02:18 AM »
As Cubs said, keep the ferrule clean - bristle, ferrule (the metal bit holding the bristles), and the handle.  Paint should only ever be on the business end of the bristles, never on or even Near the ferrule and, of course, not on the handle.  Being human, I too use two tubs of water for cleaning while in the midst of painting.  I still have a few brushes from the early seventies - the paint is wearing off of the handles but the bristles are still going!  And I've demoted brushes to dry brush status when I've screwed up and gotten paint on the ferrule end of the bristles.

Also, and this is important, a key way to keep a good point on a brush is to buy a brush with very long bristles - whatever the size of the brush.  Easier to avoid getting paint where it doesn't belong. 
« Last Edit: December 02, 2018, 01:55:12 AM by FifteensAway »